Dramatic Footage Spreads Online
Startling footage out of Oradea, Romania, has drawn widespread attention this week after a silver Mercedes went airborne entering a roundabout, clearing a bus and two other vehicles before crashing near a gas station on Dec. 3.
A Camera and Fuel Pumps Narrowly Missed
Video of the crash shows the sedan launching off a curb with enough force to sail over the nearby vehicles, narrowly missing a surveillance camera before striking a pole close to the station’s fuel pumps. Given how close the car came to the pumps themselves, the outcome could have been dramatically worse than it already was. Neighbors in the area reportedly described the impact as sounding like an explosion.
A Medical Emergency, Not Reckless Driving
According to reports, the driver, described as being in his 50s, lost consciousness mid-drive due to a diabetic episode, leaving the car without braking or steering input as it barreled into the roundabout. That medical explanation accounts for the total lack of any evasive action visible in the footage before impact.
Survived Against the Odds
Despite the Mercedes crumpling badly in the crash, first responders extracted the driver alive, with injuries reported to include broken bones but nothing life-threatening. Investigators reportedly noted how fortunate the outcome was given the severity of the impact.
Fine and License Suspension Follow
The driver is now facing a 90-day license suspension and a fine of 1,600 lei, penalties that apply regardless of the medical circumstances behind the crash. Investigators are still working to determine exactly how fast the car was traveling before it went airborne, but the footage itself has already spread widely online given how dramatic and improbable the crash appears on video.